Where She Was Meant To Be
by Dymond
Summary: [AU] If Mimi and Joanne had lived each other's lives, this how they might've met. [MimiJoanne]


**Warnings: **implied sex, implied drug use, swearing, alternate universe

**I do not own _RENT._**

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**Where She Was Meant To Be**

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As a young girl Mimi Marquez decided that she would not grow up to be her mother. She would grow up and make lots of money and be able to provide for her family. She would grow up and leave this poor neighborhood and make something of herself.

She would not get stuck with a deadbeat husband, a go-nowhere job, and more kids than there was money.

So Mimi studied hard, made good grades, and eventually graduated valedictorian of her high school class. She took two jobs so that when she was accepted into Harvard she could pay for part of it, and her mother promised they would somehow get the rest of it.

The Latina girl studied at Harvard, and eventually Harvard Law School, and graduated in the top ten percent. After graduation, she became very involved in women's rights and, boom; suddenly everyone in the legal system knew her name.

Mimi's dream was coming true, she was making a name for herself and lots of money at the same time.

But no amount of studying or knowledge could have prepared her for how much her life was about to change and all because of one pretty dancer named Joanne.

-

Mimi was walking down the sidewalk at nine o'clock one Thursday evening. She realized this wasn't safe in the least, but her car had broken down the week before and she had yet to get it fixed. Besides that she didn't live very far from where she had been meeting a client for dinner, so she had opted to walk home.

Suddenly she heard a hacking cough from the alleyway she was walking by followed by a woman's voice muttering, "Shit."

Now it wasn't in Mimi's nature to just leave some possibly injured person alone on a cold New York street. But they could be pretending and she could get mugged. But they sounded really hurt, and she wouldn't be able to live with herself knowing that she left someone to die.

With a determined nod Mimi entered the alley a soon saw where the coughs were coming from. A small black girl was huddled under some rags she might have once called clothing, but it was certainly not enough to keep her warm. Bruises were already forming along her arms and her lip was bleeding.

"Are you alright?" The lawyer asked as she knelt into the girl's line of sight.

The girl coughed. "Do I look alright?"

Mimi winced. "Okay, you caught me, dumb question." The girl braced her arm against the brick wall as she attempted to stand and Mimi reached to grasp her arm. "Here let me help."

"I don't need your help," she snapped as she pulled her arm back. This action however caused her to tumble back to the ground. "Fuck, this hurts."

"You look like you need my help," Mimi snorted. "Look at it this way. You're not getting rid of me. You can either come quietly with me back to my apartment so I can help you clean up, or I can call an ambulance."

The girl sighed. "All right, whatever. But remember it was your idea."

Mimi smiled and extended her hand to the other girl. "My name is Mimi, by the way."

Warily, she took the offered hand used it to pull herself up. "They call me Joanne."

Many long minutes of struggling the last two blocks to Mimi's apartment, the two finally arrived at her door. After fumbling with her key the lawyer opened her door, and Joanne let out a low whistle. "This is a nice place. What are you, a doctor?"

"A lawyer actually," Mimi said as she helped the injured girl into the room. "Here, sit on the couch and I'll go get a first aid kit."

Joanne sat down heavily on the couch and continued to look around the apartment. "I knew you looked familiar and now I know where from. Some of the girls I work with have your card. I hear you're pretty good at what you do."

"I hope I am. But are you sure we haven't met before, you look so familiar to me," Mimi asked as she came back in the room, med kit and pajamas in hand.

She sat on the coffee table and gestured for Joanne's arm, which she gave up easily. "Have you ever gone to the Cat Scratch Club? That's where I work; I dance." She winced as Mimi gently put ointment on her cuts.

"Yes, you were the one with the handcuffs!" Joanne raised an eyebrow at her and the lawyer blushed. "My girlfriends took me there for my last birthday."

The dancer smirked as a Band-Aid was placed on one of her larger cuts. "So our little lawyer likes girls?" Mimi ducked her head, as she blushed further.

"I-I should-d get y-you some ice for that-t br-bruise on your cheek…"

Softly, Joanne placed her hand on the other girl's cheek and whispered, "Mimi, look at me."

Her gaze rose to meet Joanne's dark eyes and suddenly she was aware of how little space there was between the two of them. She could feel the other woman's hot breath on her lips and her skin had become super sensitive where Joanne had put her hand.

Then their lips met and though it was just a chaste kiss, both girls could feel the warmth from the kiss spread throughout their body.

Joanne moved her hand to tangle it in Mimi's dark hair. The action startled the other girl and she abruptly pulled away from their kiss.

"I…I don't…I don't know about this…I mean…we just…" Mimi stumbled over her words.

Joanne took one of Mimi's hands and laced their fingers together. "Shhh…listen to me, Mimi. You are the first person who's actually given a damn about me in a long time and I really, really like you. More than I've ever liked anyone else. And I'd really like to see where things could go with you and me, but if you tell me to stop or slow down, I'll do it."

The lawyer looked down at their connected hands, then back up into Joanne's sincere eyes. "I really like you, too," she whispered.

This time when Joanne kissed her, Mimi didn't tell her to stop. Not for a long time.

-

The next few months were amazing for Joanne and Mimi. Joanne had moved into her apartment, and Mimi was enjoying having another person around to wake up next to and love. Mrs. Marquez had come over for dinner and Joanne had charmed her instantly. Everything seemed wonderful and perfect. Until.

Something seemed off to Joanne when she entered the apartment she shared with Mimi. Speaking of…"Hey babe," the dancer greeted her lover, who was staring at something on their kitchen table. She leaned in to kiss the lawyer on her cheek, but froze when she saw what Mimi was staring at.

A little baggie of white powder was resting in the center of the table.

"Hi, baby," Mimi said with false cheeriness. "Guess what I did today. Well since it was my day off, I figured I could do some laundry. But to my surprise, guess what fell out of my girlfriend's work clothes?" Mimi faced Joanne and her eyes were livid.

"It's not what it looks like-"

"Then what is it? 'Cause it looks like you've got heroin stashed away in your clothes!"

Joanne sat down on one of the chairs around the kitchen table. "Okay, so it's exactly what it looks like."

"Why, Joanne? Why would you do this to yourself, to me?" Mimi sat down across from her.

"I need it," she whimpered. "I need it so bad, 'cause it makes me feel so good."

"I'm throwing this out-"

"No! You can't, I spent good money on that and it's mine and I need it!"

Mimi gaped at her girlfriend's outburst. "Get out," she whispered.

"What?"

"I said, get out. I will not date a junkie. Take some clothes, take some money, and get out. Go get yourself into rehab, and when you're clean we can talk about having a relationship again."

Joanne grasped at Mimi's hand from across the table, with tears rolling down her cheeks. "No, baby you can't. I love you; I love you so much. You can't, baby."

Mimi placed a kiss on her lover's hand and said, "I love you too, but I will not be second to drugs. Don't come back until you're clean."

Realizing she was serious, Joanne hurriedly stuffed her clothes into a bag then left without another look back. Only when she was gone did Mimi allow herself to break down and cry.

-

Five months later Joanne stood fidgeting outside Mimi's apartment door, waiting for it to be opened. She was silently praying that Mimi still lived here and hadn't moved on to another girlfriend. She had gone through four and a half months of rehab hell and the only thing that kept her alive through it was the thought of Mimi.

The door swung open and there was Mimi in her pajamas and fuzzy slippers. Both girls stood there for a few moments staring at each other, before the lawyer broke the silence with a soft whisper.

"Are you better now?"

Joanne blinked back the tears that had been forming in her eyes and nodded. "I'm clean now, I swear."

Suddenly Joanne's arms were full of a crying Mimi and as she stroked the other girl's hair, she realized this was where she was meant to be. Here, with the woman she loved in her arms.

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**Words: **1605

I figured I was way overdue for an odd pairing so I present to you: Mimi/Joanne. I loved this challenge. This was written for speedrent challenge #108. The challenge was to use a role reversal, and switch at least two characters.

Review, if you would be so kind.

Dymond


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